Annapurna Jayanti
Devi Annapurna — Mother of all food and nourishment, the Kashi Devi
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Annapurna Jayanti — Margashirsha Purnima — the appearance day of Devi Annapurna, the grain-giving Mother of Kashi. The Annapurna mandir at Kashi (built next to Kashi Vishwanath) is the central peeth. Sri Adi Shankaracharya's Annapurna Stotram is recited in every Shakta home. Anna-dana (food distribution to the poor) is the central vrat — even one bowl of food given today is held to feed the entire family for a year.
Dates 2026–2027
Mantra
अन्नपूर्णे सदा पूर्णे शङ्करप्राणवल्लभे। ज्ञानवैराग्यसिद्ध्यर्थं भिक्षां देहि च पार्वति॥
Annapurne sada purne Shankara-prana-vallabhe | Jnana-vairagya-siddhyartham bhiksham dehi cha Parvati ||
O Annapurna, ever-full, beloved of Shankara — for the sake of jnana and vairagya, grant me alms, O Parvati. (The Annapurna Stotram of Sri Adi Shankaracharya — composed at Kashi Vishwanath.)
How to recite
On Margashirsha Purnima, prepare the Annapurna altar with grains piled high (rice, daal, wheat, all visible in vessels). Offer khichuri-labra-payesh and a complete meal as bhog. Recite the Annapurna Stotram (12 verses by Sri Adi Shankaracharya) — the central scripture of the day. Distribute food to the poor (anna-dana) — the most important act of the day. Sri Adi Shankara himself stood as a bhikshuk before Maa Annapurna at Kashi and received her grace; recreating his bhiksha-prarthana is the heart of the puja.
Benefits
Annapurna Jayanti commemorates the appearance of Devi Annapurna at Kashi when Sri Shiva himself, as a sannyasi-bhikshuk, sought alms from her — establishing that even Maheshwara is dependent on Maa for food. Worship on this day is held to grant: never-ending food in the household, freedom from hunger across lifetimes, and the merit of feeding the universe through one act of anna-dana. The Annapurna mandir at Kashi (next to Kashi Vishwanath) is the central pilgrimage.
✦ Special Note
The Kashi Annapurna mandir distributes prasad to thousands on this day; the gold Annapurna murti (recovered from Canada in 2021 and reinstalled at Kashi) is darshanam. In Maharashtra and Karnataka, this day is also Dattatreya Jayanti (Datta-Annapurna are linked through the bhiksha-prarthana). Dates per the Gupta Press Panjika (guptapresspanjika.org — the standard Bengali almanac since 1869), following its Amanta (Bengali) lunar convention with months ending on Amavasya (new moon), as used for Kali worship and dark-fortnight rituals; cross-checked against astronomical tithi computation.
Foods Allowed
Foods to Avoid
Meal Idea
Complete bhog of khichuri-labra-payesh-bhaja as the noon meal (offered to Maa first); sandesh and modak as evening prasad; payesh-pongal at moonrise as the closing offering; food distribution to neighbours and beggars throughout the day.
Related vrats
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- Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) — February 11, 2027Same tradition and category
- Amavasya · Adya Kali Puja (Shakta) — May 16, 2026Same tradition
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